As you know, I always love your reviews. They're very helpful and interesting to read/watch.
I just saw a video on YouTube, a review-video (from Italy, so I didn't understand it) in which they also showed the contents of the box (camera, lens, battery, charger, tv-cable, manuals, neckstrap). My suggestion is that you'd take a picture of the contents of the box and place that somewhere in the review. I have always been curious what kind of neckstrap I'll get with the Alpha 700, and I think it would be nice if we'd be able to see things like that in your reviews. Just one picture showing all items is enough.
I'd like to hear what you, and the other readers of cameralabs, think.

I don't like unboxing videos, they are too long and often boring. But I'd like just one picture with the contents. Of course that's only possible if you get the whole package. Maybe you could add the image if you get the whole package, and just leave it out when you don't.

You can check the respective rankings of any website using alexa... we're steadily on the up, although as we're only just over two years old as a site, we've still got some catching up to do with those who've been around for ten years...

Hi Quentin, you can judge competition on a number of factors, including:

How in-depth is the review?

What kind of tests are used?

How quickly is the review published?

How is the information conveyed - both in style and presentation?

What is the background and experience of the writer(s)?

I'd say what makes Cameralabs different from the other websites are a number of factors.

I believe we have some of the most detailed reviews on the web, without getting bogged-down with unneccessary detail. Our reviews typically have nine to 12 pages with over 5000 words of copy. Some reviews have more pages, but not necessarily more words.

In terms of testing, we use a combination of traditional studio-based tests and real-life tests. I believe the latter are crucial as there's only so much you can tell from a camera or lens that's tested indoors under artifical light from a distance of a couple of meters. Arguably, those results are only valid to product photographers. That's why we also include many comparisons outdoors, in sunlight with the lens focused at infinity. Since outdoor conditions are always different, this means we need to make new comparison shots every time for our outdoor pages, but I believe it's worth the effort.

I'm proud to say we have published some of the first reviews of many key products since launch, without compromising on the detail or accuracy. This often means working nights and weekends!

In terms of style and presentation, I'm writing from the perspective of someone who's been passionate about photography for most of my life. I'd sooner hike up a mountain with a camera to see how it performs than benchmark it in a clinical studio environment - and our HQ in Queenstown, New Zealand certainly gives me plenty of outdoor opportunities! That said, my degree in Physics and a scientific background means I can offer a balance between the real-life and scientific sides!

I also strongly believe video is a crucial means for demonstrating various features and since our review of the Canon EOS 400D / XTi, I've produced a video demo to accompany every single review (we now have 69 videos!). I believe this and our outdoor real-life comparisons are key differentiators.

As for my background, Cameralabs may only be just over two years old, but I've been a professional journalist for over 15 years and was the Editor of a major PC magazine in the UK. I've also been testing digital cameras since they first arrived on the scene in the mid-Nineties.

So when you read a review on Cameralabs, you know it's been written by someone with a background in professional journalism who's been in the business and published by well-known UK magazines for over 15 years. I believe this also makes Cameralabs fairly unique.

So that's what I believe makes Cameralabs' reviews stand out from the competition!

I also have everyone here to thank for making our forum stand out from the rest as one of the friendliest around. I can't believe how agressive and unfriendly many of the photography forums are, and am proud that we're all getting on and discussing the important issues of taking pictures rather than flaming each other as newbies or for having rival kit. Long may we continue in this respect.

As for who I regard as our competition, there's sites competing in different respects. Some on detail, some on publishing early, some on presentation. There's no one site which I'd say is our biggest rival as we all offer different things.

Sorry for the long answer, but this is something I'm passionate about! It's also great to see others agreeing as our Alexa ranking continues to climb!

You've done a fantastic job so far with your team, Gordon. A great community too, which is why I keep coming back.

As for unboxing, I don't think that's highly necessary. It's part of the joy of buying a new item - the unboxing, and perhaps this is why those videos are so popular. For me, a list of the box's contents should suffice.

It's really great to see who your coworkers are Your absolutely right about agressive forums, I found a nikon forum a few months ago and they were so "anti Canon" and "me first" that i never thought I'd find a forum like this one.
Thank's again for that detailed answer, I really appreciate it. I always like knowing a bit more about my environments (real or on the internet!)
Keep the passion alive, the results are outstanding!